ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: squash · toast · trunk · board · pop · scale · race · root

  1. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  22. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. root — of a word
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. scale — for weighing
  4. board — to get on
  5. pop — to visit
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. race — humankind
  8. squash — to crush
  9. root — of a plant
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. scale — in music
  12. pop — music
  13. scale — size or range
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. toast — bread
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. race — a contest
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. squash — the sport
  21. root — the cause
  22. race — the arms race
  23. pop — soda
  24. board — a committee

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com